The Bana Ya Poveda Centre in Kinshasa is continuing to make significant progress in the integration of street children and adolescents. They come to receive training and be given a chance to have a better future.
The day-to-day life of the centre is full of activities. These often involve games and sports such as football and basketball which create bonds of friendship and encourage social interaction. There is a small group who practise karate, and this teaches them about rules, discipline, commitment and self-assessment.
The computer classroom is still a great attraction and is open to other young people in the neighbourhood. Some of their activities are shared with other centres, such as the celebration of the international day of street children in April to raise awareness of children's rights.
One of their cultural activities, in addition to drawing and painting, has been a visit to the National Museum of DR Congo in the centre of Kinshasa. The children and young people took an active part in the tour and listened attentively to the museum guide.
Seeing the fruits
Some activities have the advantage of being able to produce something tangible and in some cases can provide something that can be sold. The leather workshop is supervised by a former member of the project, and this has attracted young people from the neighbourhood who are very satisfied with the product. They do the necessary marketing.
There are also profits to be made in raising ducks and in the vegetable garden. One youngster who is in charge of the Centre's environmental committee has started a horticulture workshop. Many children collaborate in the vegetable garden and they do their best so that the vegetables may grow well and be available every day instead of just four days a week.
In addition, they have now started an experience in which a group of young people have moved into two rented houses to lead a more autonomous life, although they continue to be accompanied by the Centre. These young people have completed their professional studies, two in carpentry, two in welding and one in motorbike repair.
Healing trauma
In addition, one of the Centre's educators took part in a training course offered by MISEREOR, a German Catholic organisation, in the east of DR Congo. The main focus was on practical exercises on body awareness and trauma healing. Ever since then, all of the children, young people and educators have been working with these techniques and feeling their positive healing effects.
The Bana Ya Poveda Centre in Kinshasa works with street children and adolescents to provide them with school and vocational training for their reintegration into their families and society.
The members of the team at the Centre − Sylvie Kabedi, Bruno Malala and Jacinthe Nkongolo Mbiya −, provide information periodically about this project that was initiated by members of the Teresian Association in DR Congo. The Centre continues to do this work with financial contributions from various NGOs.
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